Whispers From the Past
by aodhan292
Summary: Elphaba and Glinda find themselves back at Shiz, and get drawn to a certain familiar room.


**A/N**: This is just a little AU I had bouncing around my head. I wrote it a while ago and was pretty happy with it at the time. I decided to post it here to get a feel for the community in general and decide if I wanted to continue posting here. I have a few other stories written for this little verse of mine and if this is well received I can easily post those too. In any case, I hope you enjoy it.

Also, I don't own these characters. I do own Fae, but I admit to borrowing her name. Please don't sue, you won't get much.

* * *

Looking around, I've suddenly noticed my wife has wandered off. I call her name, and getting no reply stick my head out the door. Glancing to my left I spot her, standing in front of a familiar door. I watch as her delicate fingers lovingly trace the matching 2's elegantly carved into the wood.

Sensing my presence behind her, she tugs at my hand, pulling it around to her front. She places a gentle kiss against my palm before pressing it against her sternum. Her gaze never leaving the door, she breaks our nostalgic silence, squeezing my hand closer.

"Oh Elphie, if these walls could talk."

She rests her free hand against the door, and I can feel her trembling, struggling against the emotion this simple door presses on her. I can't help but chuckle when I whisper my response.

"Imagine the stories they could tell."

I can feel the vibrations of that sweet giggle of hers in my palm and even after all these years it still thrills me to hear it. So many things have changed over the years, we've both grown up, matured and yet one thing has always remained constant. The love I have for this tiny woman pressed against my front, has never once faltered. We've been through so much, her and I. Just like our minds have matured, so has our bond. It's lost it's giddy newness to a familiar, comfortable, but no less passionate understanding of each other. Admittedly I would be lost without it.

Feeling the sudden need to revisit those lost moments of innocence and I hesitantly reach out to try the door handle. I'm not surprised to find it locked, and I murmur a small chant, grinning victoriously when I hear the click of the lock disengaging.

"Elphaba, this could be someones room. We can't just barge in."

She's only giving me a half hearted scolding and I know she wants to revisit those moments too.

"Look at the dust around the door frame Love. This room hasn't been used in years. Who would want to sleep in the witch's old room?"

She nods, and doesn't stop me from opening the door. It's sudden motion, stiff from years of disuse, kicks up year's worth of dust and I wait for it to settle again before I urge Glinda forward to step across the threshold.

We pause, the sudden weight of our memories and emotions slowing our steps to a halt. The room is empty except for the old furnishings. Barren bookshelves, sit against the far wall, having not been moved from their spots, standing sentinel to either side of the fireplace. Our beds, looking old and musty, face them from the opposite wall. Glinda finally pulls away, trailing her fingertips along the top of my old desk, leaving dust tracks across the polished surface. Her eyes are closed as if lost in some far away place.

Then, as if time itself has shifted, I'm no longer standing in a dimly lit abandoned room, but the bright and vibrant dorm of two hopeful girls. I can see a ghost of myself, sitting huddled in my bed, reading, while a young and innocent Galinda flounces around, avoiding me at all cost. I relive those days of loathing, and can't help but be relieved when those spirits shift to two girls, engaging in hesitant conversations, or study sessions. An awkward friendship developing before either of us realizes it.

I feel Glinda press her back once again to my front and the images begin to shift faster. Now we are best friends, and now we are longing for the other, although I couldn't see it then. Suddenly, I'm watching as a younger, more awkward version of me sits at my desk, pouring over texts and notes, like I did most every night back then. I know this is a special night because this is the night Galinda engages my attention not by initiating a playful conversation as usual, but by gently settling her arms around my neck from behind. The contrast in our skin tones is striking but not unwelcome, her pale tones bringing out the deep emerald hue of my own complexion perfectly. Those gentle embraces continued for a week or two before she added a kiss to the top of my head into our nightly routine.

Now, even as I wrap my arms around a grown up, but no less stunning Glinda, I watch as we share our first kiss, in front of our fireplace. Soon our playful banter before bed, became hushed conversations and confessions, the connection between us settling down into a permanent bond we would never truly understand until many years later, after we've both been through too much.

That one simple night changed me in ways I could never have imagined. Who would have thought, a seemingly spoiled brat could effect the cold and hardened Elphaba Thropp in such a profound way, I certainly never saw it coming.

I feel Glinda pull me closer, turning her head to nuzzle into my neck, and I know she's watching the same torrent of moments as I. Things shift once again and I can practically feel the emotion clogging the air as our first night together plays out before my eyes. It was admittedly awkward and clumsy those first few nights, but it didn't really matter, the feelings and wants those acts radiated were too intense to be hampered by our innocent shyness. Besides we certainly had fun learning each others bodies in the nights to follow.

A small hand on my shoulder draws my attention. Knowing that touch anywhere, I allow the feelings and nostalgia to linger for a few seconds, letting those whispers of past times fade slowly before I turn my attention to the curious young girl behind me.

"Sorry little Fae, we got sidetracked."

At the sound of my voice I feel Glinda startle out of her own reminiscing. She looks up and gives me a sheepish look, knowing we had gotten a little carried away with our visit to the past.

"I guess we did didn't we."

I watch as Glinda draws our Fae into a warm hug, happy tears spilling down her cheeks. She's torn between leaving our beloved daughter and giving the freedom she needs as a part of her growing up.

The resemblance between the two is uncanny, Fae has her mother's graceful bearings, delicate frame, pale skin and social prowess and I can't help but swell with pride as I watch her wipe the tears off Glinda's cheeks. She has my hair, raven black and straight as an arrow, my intense dark gaze and sharp mind, her thirst for knowledge bringing us back to Shiz. She is truly the best of both of us.

An interesting turn of events our little Fae was. Glinda and I certainly hadn't been expecting her to be the result of me once again losing control of my magic when I was overwhelmed on our wedding night. We really thought it had ended with a few cracked picture frames, and an overturned chair in the room of the inn. Imagine our surprise when a few weeks later Glinda turned out to be carrying our daughter as well.

Fae pulls away from the arms of her mother, pulling her towards the door.

"Mom are you coming? I've still got loads of unpacking to do, and you and I both know Mama won't be any help in the clothing department."

Fae's crisp laugh warms my heart, and pulls one of Glinda's bright and beautiful smiles across her face.

"I'll be right there love. Just give me a moment okay?"

Fae glances at the numbers on the door and nods in sudden understanding. She knows of our lives, we've never tried to hide them from her. She takes a few steps out of the room before turning and shooting a wry smirk over her shoulder at us.

"I know this place has some, lovey dovey memories for you and all, but please, no funny stuff. It's gross."

Her teenage disgust for any signs of parental affection amuses me greatly and I can't help but laugh. My soft cackle settles into a chuckle as I watch her bubble back to her dorm. Glinda reaches up and cups my face, drawing me in for a gentle kiss.

"So many memories, so many wonderful moments." she whispers against my lips.

"And because of all those moments, we have everything we have now. They led us to this place Glin."

"Things got so hard, but I don't regret any of it. You are right, those moments, good and bad, shaped our lives, and led us to what we have now, even if we did take the long way to get here."

I hum my agreement before I capture her lips once more, letting it linger for a few perfect beats before releasing her. Finally ready to let those days rest once again, we slip out the door, closing it behind us. I lock the door with another simple chant, as if to protect the memories within.

"You really were a fabulous kisser even back then Elphie."

She winks at me before she bounces back to our daughter's room to help with the unpacking. Both girls know all of this doting on Fae is really not needed, but they also both know it's Glinda's way of making the separation easier. I can sympathize, it's not easy sending your only child to school, to live on her own for the first time.

I lean against the door frame, and as I watch my two wonderful girls flounce around the room, I commit this place and time, these images to memory. Knowing they'll always be with me and will continue to shape who I am. Much like the tiny blond hand print on my heart did behind the locked door of room 22 all those years ago.


End file.
